Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-07-20
ANIOKER CATCHERS.
Hindoo and Malay Natives who Mako
1t Lively for Pedestrians.

Two instances have recently APP
peared of that strange and sanguinary
custom of the East called running
amgck." Running amuck" is a
phrase derived from the Malay word
''amok" (killingl and constitutes a
well-marked hysterical Oriental coun-
tries. 1t is rarely, If ever, manifested
among the qCiet-tempered Hindus, and
but seldom among the Indian Mussul-
mans, while, whenever it does occur in
Hindostan, the malady may generally
be traced to the abuse of opium or the
extract of hemp called bhang, ganja,
or charras. The Hindu tobacconist
sells special confectioD made up of
bhang, opium. datura, cloves, mastic,
cinnamon and cardamums, which IS
mixed with milk and sugar and eaten
as Sweetmeat.
This dlabolical cake-knoWn as ma
Jum-will drive man mad about as
soon as anything. With the Malays,
however, who have given name to
to the terrible mental alteration Of
which we speak, and wno are by far
the most addicted to y of all Eastern
people, there is SELDOM any such ex-
PLANTATION of the outbreak. Suddenly,
without rhyme or reason, a man Will
spring up from. his shop-board or h' 5
couch, draw lis kris-the wave bladed
dagger whicI they all carry-and. with
j scream of "Amokl Amokl" strike
its point into the heart of the nearest
wayfarer ani. dart down the crowded
bazaar like the lunatic wb' ch he is
stabbing nd cutting on all sides.
''Amok! a 1ok!' echoes fre IN hundreds
of mouths, md everybody lurries for a
IL, og, faainur In,
except those bolder spirit, who snatch
up weapon .f defense and ioin the
armed thron. which p1 csuqs the Ges-
perado.
The path OF the chs Sc is soon strewn
with bodies of men, Tomen and chill
dren, dead or biee6 .ng to death, until
some lucky shot daring thrust dis
ables the murderer, who is pierced
with dozen blades as soon as he falls
to the ground. Occasionally it turns
out that the ''amoker'' has received
some personal affropt or injury or was
hopelessly in debt or disappointed in
love; but more commonly there is moth
Ing whatever to account for the wild
fury of his proceedings, and the street
sweepers drag his carcass away as care
lessiy as If a leopard had been slam in
the ublic streets. So ordinary, indeed
IS Il occurrence that in many towns
and cities where there lives large Ma
ay population an instrument is kept in
| rel d1ness at every police station called
the ''amoker catcher" 1t is something
like an eel spear with a very long
handle, and SO contriye1 that two elas-
| tic-pointed spikes close round the mad
mans neck and secure him helplessly
when the iron prongs are pushed
| against his nape from behind.
Neither rank nor wealth keeps a
| Malay from this sudden access of
| hou'icidal mania Il Ia has The predis
position or has been greatly excited.
| There was an instance at Salatiga, in
the island of Java, where the Regent
was celebrating the marriage of two OF
his daughters, and everybody was in a
festive and joyous mood. Just, how.
ever, at the gayest moment of the cere-
monies the Regents brother-in-law, a
high official, came rushing through the
procession, stabbing everybody he could
get at with his jeweled kris. The Re-
gent himself, coming up 10 inquire into
the uproar, was killed by a single
thrust, and 1t was the brother of the
| Prince who ran the 'mokern through
the back with spear and brought him
down, yet not before he had slaught-
cred nine OF the palace people and
wounded six others more or less severe
ly.
1t might be supposed thata race sub
iect to such ferocious Gts would be
| naturally eXcitable and nervous IN
manner; but the contrary is the case.
The Malay i5 OF all men the most quiet
digniiled and slow of speech and action
In his ordinary life. lie seldom speaks
loudly or quickly, has the most cour-
| teous and even gentle demeanor, and
quarrels very rarely with his fellows.
y ct he IS coldly and silently cruel; has
no regard for human life, and derives
from the Mohammedan faith, which he
processes, its Ditterest and most relent-
less dogmas. Once started on the
death run' by insult, despair or some
brain trouble, his only thought is TO
"klll, and Kill. and KILL" and III the
| fierce exultation OF his insanity he doe
not feel the blow which lets out his
burning blood and puts stop to his
dreadful career.
| hy His Nif,.